Councillor calls for easier access to Council land for community

Hawkesbury Councillor Peter Reynolds want to make sights like this more common in the region. Picture: Geoff Jones

MAKING it easier for community groups to use Council land will be the subject of a report to be prepared by Hawkesbury Council staff.

Independent councillor Peter Reynolds successfully moved a Notice of Motion at the January 30 Council meeting, calling for the report.

The report will examine Council’s policies and fees, among other things, with regards to community groups or individuals that want to busk, perform or use Council areas in some way, shape or form, with a view to making it easier and cheaper.

Cr Reynolds told the Gazette he simply wanted to reduce the red tape around this.

He said in Council it was too difficult for community groups to use Council land for events, because the fees required were too expensive.

“One of the big issues I am aware of is the use of Windsor Mall by community groups,” he said.

“Windsor Business Group for the past few years has hosted Light Up Windsor. It requires a traffic management plan being required, Windsor Business Group is not a large organisation, it doesn't have a lot of income and a traffic management plan can cost $1500.”

Cr Reynolds also said that the fee to busk in the Hawkesbury was high compared with other council areas, and discouraged it in the region.

“Anything we can do to encourage community groups to use our public places to enhance the arts...I think we need to make our spaces available to the community, they belong to the community, not to us,” he said.